1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope and in particular, relates to an image processing apparatus for transmitting image signals which are imaged by an imaging device of the endoscope and data signals input by an operation of a keyboard etc. to a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Endoscopes are used widely in the field of medicine, especially for the observation and inspection of the inside of an organ. Such endoscopes consist of an electric scope, an input apparatus, a color processing unit, and a TV monitor.
The electric scope has an imaging device such as a CCD, and images a subject. The imaging device is controlled by the color processing unit. The image signals obtained during the imaging process are converted to video signals corresponding to the connected peripheral apparatuses such as a TV monitor, by the color processing unit and are then output to the peripheral apparatuses. The TV monitor indicates images on the basis of video signals. An input apparatus, such as a keyboard, is used for inputting ID information of the patient such as a name etc. of a patient.
The video signals which are transmitted from the color processing unit to the TV monitor, for example, are analogue signals having analogue RGB component signals, Y/C separate signals, and NTSC (composite video) signals. Image signals, which are character signals and are input by the input apparatus, as the ID information of the patient, are overlapped with image signals of the photographic subjects which are analogue signals, by the OSD (On Screen Display) circuit etc. of the color processing unit. Accordingly, video signals which include the ID information are indicated on the TV monitor.
Imaging devices, which have comparatively few picture elements, are used for the electric scope in a conventional endoscope system. Therefore it has not been possible to obtain enough image information of the photographic subject to sufficiently use the total screen size of the TV monitor. Accordingly, when the image signals, which are character signals, are overlapped with the image signals of the photographic subject, a first indicating area for indicating the photographic subject and a second indicating area for indicating the ID information do not interfere with each other, so that the image of the photographic subject is indicated in the first indicating area which is a certain area of the TV monitor, and the image of the ID information is indicated in the second indicating area which is the remaining area or part of the remaining area of the TV monitor.
The left white area in FIG. 1 is the first indicating area and is for indicating the image of the photographic subject, and the right white area in FIG. 1 is the second indicating area and is for indicating the image of the ID information. FIG. 1 is an example of the TV monitor 50 which is described later and on which one image of the photographic subject, which is imaged by an electric scope with few picture elements, is indicated, in a conventional endoscope system. The full indicating area of the monitor is the shaded area around the circumference of the white areas, and inside the black areas.
In recent years, imaging devices which have a large number of picture elements have come to be used in electric scopes. In this case, the image corresponding to image signals of the photographic subject, which is imaged by the imaging device, is indicated on most of the indication area of the monitor, so that the image corresponding to image signals which are character signals, is indicated by overlapping on the image of the photographic subject.
In the middle part of the white area in FIG. 2, only an image of the photographic subject is indicated, however in the upper and lower parts of the white area in FIG. 2, the image of the ID information is indicated by being overlapped on the image of the photographic subject. FIG. 2 shows an example of the TV monitor 50 which is described later and on which one image of the photographic subject imaged by an electric scope which has many picture elements, is indicated, in a recent endoscope system. In the overlapping area, the image of the photographic subject is not seen.
In this recent endoscope system, an image of a photographic subject can be indicated as a large image on the monitor screen, so that there is the advantage that it becomes easier to observe the image of the photographic subject. However, the ID information is indicated by overlapping on the photographic subject, so that there is the disadvantage that the image of the ID information and the upper and lower ends of the image of the photographic subject become unclear.
Further, a processing unit which has the function of outputting digital image signals has been developed. In this case, a computer monitor which has a high density display, and which has comparatively high number of picture elements, is used as the monitor. The computer monitor is connected with the processing unit through a computer, so that it is possible to arrange the layout of the indicated image by using image filing software.
Regarding the software, the computer monitor can indicate a plurality of images of the photographic subject at one time, as in FIG. 3, in addition to indicating just one image of the photographic subject, as in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 shows an example where four images of a photographic subject, which was imaged by an electric scope having many picture elements, are indicated on the computer monitor 70, which is described later, of a recent endoscope system.
However, even if the image signals are output as digital signals, the image signals which are character signals corresponding to the ID information of the patient, are output under the condition where the character information is overlapped with the image of the photographic subject. Accordingly, the disadvantage of the unclear image of the ID information and the upper and lower ends of the image of the photographic subject, has not been overcome yet. Especially, when plural images of the photographic subject are indicated at the same time, it is very difficult to see because plural sets of ID information of the same patient are also indicated.